Louis Stokes New STEM Pathways and Research Alliance: Rocky Mountain Alliance for Minority Participation (RM-LSAMP)

The Louis Stokes Alliances for Minority Participation (LSAMP) program assists universities and colleges in diversifying the STEM workforce through their efforts at significantly increasing the numbers of students successfully completing high quality degree programs in science, technology, engineering and mathematics (STEM) disciplines. Particular emphasis is placed on transforming STEM education through innovative recruitment and retention strategies and experiences in support of groups underrepresented in STEM disciplines: African-Americans, Alaskan Natives, American Indians, Hispanic Americans, Native Hawaiians, and Native Pacific Islanders.

The Rocky Mountain Louis Stokes Alliance for Minority Participation (RM-LSAMP), formerly known as the CO-WY LSAMP, has been successful in increasing the number of baccalaureate degrees earned by students from populations underrepresented in STEM and will now be a new STEM Pathways and Research Alliance with important representation of Hispanic American and Native American students. The RM-LSAMP will continue to grow the successful program that has been supported by LSAMP funding since 1995.

The RM-LSAMP Alliance consists of 13 institutions: Colorado State University, University of Colorado Boulder, University of Denver, University of Colorado Denver, University of Northern Colorado, Colorado School of Mines (Doctoral Universities), Adams State University, Colorado State University – Pueblo (Master’s Universities), Fort Lewis College, Metropolitan State University of Denver (Baccalaureate Colleges), Central Wyoming College, Otero College, and Trinidad State College (Associate’s Colleges). The institutions are both urban and rural, including all the Minority Serving Institutions in Colorado with six HSIs and two Native American-Serving, Nontribal Institutions.

The overall goal of the Alliance is to increase the number of students from underrepresented groups earning baccalaureate degrees in STEM. The program focuses on academic and social support for students across the Alliance, with several specific interventions being developed with joint institutional efforts. The emphasis on opportunities for student research includes a First Nations Initiative in support of summer research experiences for Native Americans, and international experiences, with a goal of increasing the number of students participating in research.

There is also an emphasis on increasing the number of students transferring from two to four-year institutions. Alliance activities will also be focused on preparing students for graduate programs in STEM.

The Alliance’s research will generate knowledge through two research projects to investigate the relevance of the Goal Congruity Model for understanding entry into and persistence in STEM fields by students from populations underrepresented in STEM. The research studies include both a quantitative study of Native American high school students, as well as a qualitative study of students from populations underrepresented in STEM participating in summer research.

It is hypothesized that the Goal Congruity Model explains some of the variance in the participation gaps in STEM by students underrepresented in STEM, and thus could provide suggestions for interventions directed at the individual, the academy, and the workplace. The student academic and professional development interventions implemented in this project will have transferable value for STEM students and other institutions worldwide.

Long-lasting impact from outcomes achieved will create a more diverse and inclusive environment on college campuses and in the STEM workforce. Ultimately, the Rocky Mountain Alliance will contribute significantly to preserving and improving the United States’ competitiveness in overcoming key global technology, health, and economic development challenges.

This award reflects NSF's statutory mission and has been deemed worthy of support through evaluation using the Foundation's intellectual merit and broader impacts review criteria.